Kimi Raikkonen sustained an injury over the Formula 1 summer break that may keep him from competing in the Belgian Grand Prix. Thank goodness for his “worthless” Alfa Romeo Racing contract.
The most recent Formula 1 race was the Hungarian Grand Prix, which took place nearly four weeks ago on Sunday, August 4. During the four-week summer break between the 21-race 2019 season’s 12th and 13th races, Alfa Romeo Racing’s Kimi Raikkonen sustained an injury.
Raikkonen still plans to compete in this Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps at this point, but that could change.
In case it changes, former Alfa Romeo Sauber driver and current full-time Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports IndyCar driver Marcus Ericsson, who is still Alfa Romeo Racing’s reserve and test driver, is on call to replace him in this 44-lap race around the 19-turn, 4.352-mile (7.004-kilometer) Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps road course in Stavelot, Belgium
Here is what Raikkonen had to say about his injury, according to Motorsport.
"“I pulled a muscle and we will see how it is. We need to have some back-up plan. In my head it should be fine but you never know. It would be stupid not to have our third driver in case I couldn’t be driving, then it is the worst case scenario. There is a reason why every team has a third driver. It is a normal story. It is a difficult situation for him also because he had a race, but that is how it is.”"
However, he didn’t disclose any specifics as to how he suffered this injury.
"“Sport. It is dangerous. I always said it is more dangerous – drinking is probably safer. Usually you don’t get injured, you just get a hangover.”"
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This injury and the fact that it happened to Raikkonen, regardless of what it is, is somewhat ironic, almost in a comical way.
After all, we’re talking about Kimi Raikkonen.
Just a few weeks ago, Raikkonen basically called his contract with Alfa Romeo Racing “worthless” and stated that he never read it, as he told the team that he is done with them if they interfere with his personal life. In many cases, teams insert clauses in the contracts of their drivers to prohibit them from participating in various dangerous activities outside of Formula 1, but not in Raikkonen’s.
Here is what the 39-year-old Finn had to say at the time, according to F1i.
"“I haven’t read my contract because it’s worth zero as far as I’m concerned. When we first talked to Alfa Romeo-Sauber, I told them that if they complain about anything – if they whine – then I’m not here anymore! There are many dangerous things in life. Of course, one always tries to be careful. But it’s enough to talk about the problem if it happened.”"
Thank goodness for that, otherwise, depending on how he suffered this injury, he may have been in even more trouble!
Okay, probably not, but you get the picture.
The Belgian Grand Prix is scheduled to get underway at 9:10 a.m. ET this Sunday, September 1, and it is set to be broadcast live on ESPN2 from Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps beginning at 9:05 a.m. ET. Tune in to the first race back from Formula 1‘s 2019 summer break.